Earlier this year I took a trip over to Londonderry to visit my Dad. I lived there for a few years when I was younger and know the city quite well. It was a great chance to shoot a another city at 4am!
The city was so, so still. The temperature was just right and there was no wind, adding to the silence of the streets. By 5am the sun was rising. Such a beautiful morning. It’s these types of experiences at 4am that got the 4am Project up and running.
Accidentally found this abandoned steam train whilst looking for somewhere to park and set up a shot of Craigavon Bridge. It has since transpired that this is part of the Foyle Valley Railway Museum, and not quite as abandoned as it first looked!
Craigavon Bridge
Even though I had lived in Derry, and have visited it many times since moving away, I had never taken a walk around the city walls, which were built around the original town in 1613. So I decided to document my walk with (lots of) photos and make a video.
Not long after my return home, the Derry Journal got in touch and asked if they could write a piece about my visit to Derry and the 4am Project.
Next time I go over to Derry I will organise a 4am photo walk through the city! If this is something you would be interested in, give me a shout and I’ll keep you posted.
UPDATE! Do you like strawberries and champagne? Thank you to my friends at Aquila TV who will be bringing along these tasty treats to celebrate the sun rising on the longest day of the year!
Foyle Bridge, Londonderry, N.Ireland at 4am
NEW DATE FOR 4AM PHOTOS!
Put the date in your diaries and tell your friends. The 4am Project has announced a new date – 4am on 21st June which is on a Sunday! It is also Summer Soltice and the longest day of the year. The sun will rise in London at 4.42 am. It’s going to be a beautiful time of day to capture!
There is a theme this time around for the 4am Project. It is street signs and/or shadows. With the sun rising when it does on this morning it will be great to capture the first shadows of the day breaking over the city.
I am organising a 4am photo walk AND picnic!
On the last 4am photo date on the 4th April I organise an outing to Birmingham New Street and Birmingham Wholesale Markets and we were all able to enjoy a very hearty breakfast at the market’s cafe. Unfortunately it is closed on Sundays, so bring a flask and a butty and we can relax after the photo walk with our special early morning city picnic! It will be a first!
We will meet at St Paul’s Square just before 4am and the walk will take a loop around parts of the city including the canals. Out photo journey will end back at St Paul’s Square were we can picnic on the grass. View Larger Map
I hope you can all come along and join in. You don’t have to come along to take part in the 4am project on 21st June – of course you can stay closer to home, but you are more than welcome to come along for the 4am photo walk and picnic! See you there
UPDATE: As well as Birmingham New Street Station, I now have permission for us to go to Birmingham Wholesale Markets! There are cafes there so we can have a much needed breakfast and cup of tea afterwards
Reservoir Road, Edgbaston at 4am
As part of the 4am Project I’m organising a 4am photo walk through Birmingham city centre on Sat 4th April at……4am!
It’s a great opportunity to take a unique tour of the city at an often unseen time. Part of the tour will include Birmingham New Street station who have kindly given their permission for the ‘4am-ers’ to take pictures and I now have received permission for us to go to the Birmingham Wholesale Market which will certainly be one of the busiest, if the the busiest, area of the city centre at 4am!
The meeting point is the big brass bull outside the Bullring shopping centre at 4am. Please be on time, and don’t forget your camera!
We shall be joined by Birmingham: It’s Not Shit host Mr Jon Bounds who will be interviewing willing participants for his and Julia Gilbert’s radio show, The Big Paws, on Rhubarb Radio which will be broadcast later that morning!
